Forest Avenue: So many stops for so many people

Many restaurants along Forest Avenue are a major draw for Islanders, including the Panini Grill.
(Staten Island Advance/Virginia N. Sherry)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - RANDALL MANOR/WEST BRIGHTON - Traffic sometimes slows to frustrating, bumper-to-bumper crawls along the stretch of Forest Avenue, from Hart Boulevard to Broadway, nearly a mile long. And parking spaces can be elusive. The street's hustle and bustle comes in part from its diversity, with popular cafes, day spas, and dance studios all part of the mix.

We compiled a quick inventory last week to pin down the numbers more precisely, and found more dry cleaners than laundromats; seven banks but only one hardware store; and fast-food franchises outnumbering delis.

Businesses related to food and drink – selling it or serving it – dominated the list. Personal-services establishments, from nail salons to a tattoo studio, captured second position, and professional services – doctors, dentists, lawyers, and others – were not far behind.